Machines for operating upon shoes



June 18, 1957 B. FULLER ET AL 2,796,036

MACHINES FOR OPERATING UPON SHOES Filed June 17, 1953 2 She'ets-Sheet 1 60 4a &9 5e

(9 [III/672 ions" Bradley FZz/Zer June 18, 1957 B. FULLER ETAL MACHINES FOR OPERATING UPON snoxas 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 17, 1953 United States Patent MACHINES FOR OPERATING UPON SHOES Bradley Fuller, Newburyport, and Edward H. Winslow, Danvers, Mass., assignors to United Shoe Machinery Qorporation, Boston, Mass, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 17, 1953, Serial No. 362,224

14 Claims. (Cl. 112258) This invention relates to machines of the type employed in the manufacture and repair of shoes and is herein disclosed as embodied in a shoe sewing machine having electrically powered apparatus and a foot treadle controlled driving clutch mounted on a frame provided with a machine supporting column similar in many respects to that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,544,723, granted March 13, 1951, on an application filed in the name of F. A. Prahl, Jr.

The machine frame of the patent above referred to is of fabricated construction and has rigid machine supporting and base members connected by a hollow vertical column formed from a single rectangular plate of relatively resilient sheet metal bent into an open box-like structure of C-shaped cross section providing substantial vacant space inside. This construction is particularly desirable from the standpoint of appearance, utility, and economy since it provides a smooth surfaced, light weight machine supporting column not as easily damaged as a cast metal column, the column itself utilizing the full area of a rectangular sheet without wastage. The relatively thin walls of the column provide liberal enclosing space at its upper end for a height adjusting supporting post, clamping means therefor and a vertical treadle rod for controlling the machine operation, a heightwise opening between the spaced vertical edges of the C-shaped plate furnishing easy hand accessibility to the devices Within the column. The machine frame of the patent also is provided at its upper end with electrical connection and controlling devices mounted outside the space in the column. For this purpose the patented machine frame is provided with a separate metal switch box mounted outside the column directly beneath a utility shelf also secured to the column. With certain types of shoe machines such as outsole stitching machines it is desirable to provide a wax pot for treating sewing thread, also mounted directly beneath the utility shelf.

The objects of the invention are generally to provide a shoe machine with a frame having a hollow sheet metal column of C-shaped cross section similar to that disclosed in the Prahl patent, in which electrical controls and connections may be located inside the space in the column rather than outside so that the wax pot alone may be mounted outside beneath a utility shelf, while at the same time retaining all of the other structural advantages of the patented machine frame, except for the feature of height adjustment, without causing interferences, or excessive crowding in the space within the column between the electrical and mechanical control connections.

Other objects are to provide a shoe sewing machine with a particularly rugged frame construction not having bulky auxiliary devices projecting therefrom in a manner to disrupt an otherwise pleasing appearance with smooth contour or to cause danger from injurious contact with projecting parts, particularly to workmen while moving the machine from place to place. For these purposes the illustrated machine is provided with rigid machine supporting and base members between which is connected a hollow vertical column formed from a single rectangular plate of resilient sheet metal bent into an open box-like structure of C-shape cross section with a heightwise opening between spaced vertical edges along one side, the machine being equipped with electrically powered apparatus, at the upper end of which column is an uninterrupted compartment extending across the full section of the column and containing electrical connections and control devices for the electrically powered apparatus, the compartment preferably being separated from the remainder of the space in the column by a partition secured within the side walls of the column. In the illustrated machine, space for the compartment is obtained by eliminating the vertical adjusting post of the patented machine and relocating the treadle rod so that it passes across one edge of the partition at the rear of the compartment and is exposed in the heightwise opening between the spaced vertical edges of the C-shaped column plate. This feature of the invention also is embodied in a machine having a simplified clutch actuating mechanism including a wedge connected to the upper end of the treadle rod, with a wedging surface engaging a vertically pivoted clutch operating lever to transpose vertical motion of the treadle rod into horizontal motion in the operating lever. In this way simple mechanical treadle connections are provided which do not endanger the insulation of the electrical connections by running through a midposition in the electrical compartment. Further features of the invention include a novel and improved mounting for the clutch operating lever so that a relatively stiff, smooth acting construction is provided which is inexpensively manufactured and usually sensitive in response to variations of control action.

These and other features of the invention, as hereinafter described and claimed will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in left side elevation of an outsole stitching machine, partly broken away and in section, embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1 on a somewhat enlarged scale taken along the line II-II of that figure.

Fig. 3 is a vertically foreshortened view of the upper part of the machine on a still further enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a plan view at the left rear part of the machine showing the clutch and control mechanism; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the clutch control mechanism on a further enlarged scale as viewed along the line of V-V of Fig. 4.

The machine herein disclosed is a lock stitch shoe outsole sewing machine similar to that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,328,011, granted August 31, 1943, upon application of O. R. Haas. The machine of the Haas patent has a fully enclosed cover structure with an internal main supporting frame provided with spaced supporting posts and connecting struts. That machine also is provided with a foot treadle controlled driving and stopping mechanism acting to drive the machine or to bring it to rest in a predetermined position with the operating devices disengaged from the work so that the work may be removed readily from operating position in the machine. The operating devices of the present machine are the same as in the patented machine and include stitch forming devices mounted in the front of a sewing head and actuated by the main sewing shaft 2 rotatably mounted in bearings carried at the upper ends of a pair of spaced posts comprising a machine supporting head frame member 4. The stitch forming devices consist of a curved hook needle 6, a curved awl 8, a lever 3 10, a shuttle 12, a take-up 14, and a thread tension 16, best shown in Fig. 3. For applying wax to the sewing thread, it is drawn through a wax pct 18 (Fig. l) of conventional construction, mounted'on a hollow vertical column for supporting the machine, beneath a utility shelf 20, also secured to the supporting column.

The machine supporting column is of the type illustrated and described in the P-rahl patent. The present column is formed from a single rectangular plate 22 of relatively thin resilient sheet metal bent into an open box-like structure of C-shaped cross section with closed front and side walls, a substantially vacant space inside and with a heightwise hand opening running along a fourth, rear side of the column. For supporting the machine the column has fixed to its upper and lower edges and plates 24 and 26 which, in turn, have secured to them the machine supporting head frame member 4 and a base member 28, both of which are relatively rigid castings.

For driving the machine and for maintaining the stitch forming devices at a suitable elevated temperature the machine supporting member at the upper end of the column and the wax pot are provided with electrically powered apparatus including a driving motor 30 and heating cartridges 32, mounted in the frame at effective locations and in the wax pot. For energizing the electrically powered apparatus, cable connections 34 are pro vided running from a conveniently accessible space within the column 22.

In place of the driving and stopping mechanism of the machine disclosed in the Haas patent, the illustrated machine has a relatively inexpensive main clutch including a pulley 36 rotatably mounted on the sewing shaft 2, and slidable toward and from the driving clutch member comprising a hand wheel 37 secured to the sewing shaft 2.

In the machine of the Haas patent there is ample space for cable and other electrical connections together with circuit controlling devices, the enclosing casing of the patented machine covering the entire frame with its main supporting posts and struts. With a machine frame of the type disclosed in the Prahl patent much less space is available than in the frame of the Haas machine. Some of the space within the column of the Prahl machine also is occupied by a treadle and connections running from the tread-1e to a control lever mounted within the column.

To obtain the full benefit of a machine supporting column such as that disclosed in the Prahl patent without resorting to the expense of a complicated frame construction similar to that disclosed in the Haas patent, at the same time avoiding the use of separate treadle control connections outside the column, the space within the column of the present machine is divided near its upper end by a partition 38 to form an uninterrupted compartment 39 separated from the remainder of the vacant space within the column. The compartment 39 extends throughout the full cross sectional area of the column and contains electrical connections 4%) (Fig. 2) and control devices 42, 44, and 46 for the electrically powered appar-atus in the machine. The partition 38 is secured inside the walls of the column so that full protection for the connections and devices in the compartment is insured against contact with moving parts of the machine. The control devices 42 and 44 are switches for control circuits to the heating cartridges 32 and to the motor 30. The device 46 is a thermostatic switch for controlling the temperature of the wax pot 18 and for protecting all the other heating devices against excessive temperatures. To afford opportunity for adjusting the thermostatic switch it has a regulating screw 48 and an opening 50 is formed in the left side wall of the column in alinement with the regulating screw for entry of the blade of a screw driver 52.

The illustrated machine has pivotally mounted in its base a foot treadle 54 for controlling the driving clutch 36, 37. In order to connect the foot treadle with the clutch, a simplified and improved set of control connections is provided, arranged to avoid any possible contact with the electrical connections within the compartment 39 while still possessing the features of convenient accessibility and adjustability obtained by the use of the machine supporting column disclosed in the Prahl patent.

Accordingly, the treadle 54 has connected to it the lower end of a two-part treadle rod 56 between the parts of which is a turnbuckle 58. The upper part of the treadle rod is bent through a slight angle and engages the edges of a slot 60 formed in the rearward edge of the partition 38 which is exposed in the heightwise opening between the edges of the C-shaped column plate, the rod extending along the heightwise opening. To retain the treadle rod in engagement with the exposed edge of the partition 38 the rear of the compartment 39 is enclosed by an apron 61 formed with a bulging vertical trough and secured to the plate 24 and partition 33 by screws 62. To hold the treadle rod yieldingly in normal raised position, the upper end has coiled about it a spring 63 compressed between the partition 38 and a collar 64 clamped to the rod, the collar 64 fitting loosely within the trough of the apron. The clutch 36, 37 is operated to drive or to disconnect the sewing shaft from the driving motor 30 through a clutch lever 66 having on one arm a yoke embracing the left end of the sewing shaft 2 and having rolls engaging a circumferential slot in the hub of the clutch pulley 36. The hub of the yoked arm of the clutch lever 66 is secured to a vertical pivot 63 by a pin 69 passing through the hub and pivot. The pivot 68 is rotatably mounted to enable the lever to swing about a bearing formed in a bracket 70 so that the clutch lever swings in a horizontal direction, the yoked arm of the lever extending forwardly and another 'arm of the lever extending laterally of the machine head at the rear of the machine supporting member 4. The head supporting member 4 has at its rear two upwardly projecting portions 72 within which is secured a fixed horizontal fulcrum shat-t 74 having rotatably mounted on it a series of cam levers 76 for actuating the stitch forming devices of the machine. To provide a convenient mounting for the clutch lever bearing bracket 70, the bracket has a horizontal opening and is secured to the left end of the cam lever fulcrum shaft 74.

For actuating the horizontally swinging clutch operating lever from the control rod 56 which is movable vertically and to transpose the vertical motion of the control rod into horizontal motion of the operating lever, the upper end of the control rod has connected to it a wedge 78 (see Fig. 5) formed with a wedging surface of sufiiciently small angle to render the actuation of the clutch substantially irreversible. The wedging surface of the wedge 78 engages frictionally with a rounded surface on the laterally extending arm of the clutch operating lever and, to reinforce the engaging surface of the lever against excessive wear, the lever includes a block 86 riveted to it and providing a hardened wearing surface.

To prevent downward fiexure of the lateral arm of the operating lever 66 and to retain the wedge in proper operating position at all times the vertical portion '72 of the machine supporting member has secured to it a block 82 having a vertical guideway 84 within which laterally projecting flanges on the wedge 78 slide. The block 82 also has a rearwardly projecting portion disposed beneath the reinforced portion of the clutch operating lever which is engaged by the wedge. As the wedge is depressed, downward fiexure of the horizontal arm on the clutch lever is prevented by engagement with the block 82. The connection between the motor 30 and the pulley 36 comprises a conventional V-belt 86 surrounding the pulley and the belt is protected along that portion which approaches the pulley by a guard comprising a plate 88 bent about three sides of the belt in close surrounding relation. To support the guard it is bolted to an angular bar 90 mounted on a yoke arm of the clutch operating lever 66. With a guard mounted to swing with the clutch lever in this manner, full protection is obtained for the most dangerous portion of the belt and the guard moves slightly with the belt as the pulley is shifted toward and from the hand wheel 38 so that close confinement of the belt by the guard is possible without danger of frictional contact therebetween.

In order to protect the machine from accumulations of dust and other undesirable materials the sewing shaft and the actuating levers driven thereby are surrounded by an inverted box-shaped cover 92 hingedly mounted at the rear of the machine. For this purpose the ends of the actuating lever fulcrum shaft 74 are provided with conical indentations, one of which is shown at 93 in Fig. 3 to receive opposed cone pointed screws threaded into downwardly extending lugs on the cover, one of the screws being shown at 94.

The machine also is provided with a bobbin winder similar to that disclosed in United States Letters Patent 2,293,734, granted August 25, 1942, upon application of O. R. Haas. This bobbin Winder comprises a shaft 96 carrying at its rearward end a pulley 98 driven by a belt 100 from the motor 30, its forward end having a bobbin clamp screw 102 and a slip clutch 104 to enable the rotation of the clamp screw to be arrested for changing bobbins conveniently.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated and a particular embodiment having been described, what is claimed is:

1. A machine of the type described having rigid machine supporting and base members, a connection between said members comprising a hollow vertical column formed from a single rectangular plate of relatively resilient sheet metal bent into an open box-like structure of C-shaped cross section with closed front and side walls, substantial vacant space inside, and with a heightwise opening running along the fourth side of the column, upper and lower end plates fixed to the upper and lower edges of the side walls and secured to the machine supporting and base members and electrically powered apparatus in said machine, in combination with an uninterrupted compartment extending throughout the full cross sectional area at the upper end of the column and containing electrical connection and control devices for the electrically powered apparatus.

2. A machine of the type described having rigid machine supporting and base members, a connection between said members comprising a hollow vertical column formed from a single rectangular plate of relatively resilient sheet metal bent into an open box-like structure of G-shaped cross section with closed front and side walls, substantial vacant space inside, and with a heightwise opening running along the fourth side of the column, upper and lower end plates fixed to the upper and lower edges of the side walls and secured to the machine supporting and base members, and electrically powered apparatus in said machine, in combination with an uninterrupted compartment extending throughout the full cross sectional area at the upper end of the column and containing electrical connections and control devices for the electrically powered apparatus, and a partition secured to the walls of the column for separating the remainder of the vacant space within the column from the compartment.

3. A machine of the type described having rigid machine supporting and base members, a connection between said members comprising a hollow vertical column formed from a single rectangular plate of relatively resilient sheet metal bent into an open box-like structure of 0-shaped cross section with closed front and side walls, substantial vacant space inside, and with a heightwise opening running along the fourth side of the column, upper and lower end plates fixed to the upper and lower edges of the side walls and secured to the machine supporting and base members, electrically powered apparatus in said machine, a main operating shaft, a clutch for driving said operating shaft and a control treadle mounted in the base member,

in combination with a compartment containing electrical connection and control devices at the upper end of the column, separated from the remainder of the vacant space by a partition secured to the side walls of the column, and a control rod running between the clutch and the treadle past one edge of the partition and extending along the heightwise opening of the column.

4. A machine of the type described having rigid machine supporting and base members, a connection between said members comprising a hollow vertical column formed from a single rectangular plate of relatively resilient sheet metal bent into an open box-like structure of C-shaped cross section with closed front and side walls, substantial vacant space inside, and with a heightwise opening running along the fourth side of the column, upper and lower end plates fixed to the upper and lower edges of the side walls and secured to the machine supporting and base members, electrically powered apparatus in said machine, a main operating shaft, a clutch for driving said operating shaft and a control treadle mounted in the base member, in combination with a compartment containing electrical connection and control devices at the upper end of the column, separated from the remainder of the vacant space by a partition secured to the side walls of the column, a control rod running between the clutch and the treadle past one edge of the partition and extending along the heightwise opening of the column, and an apron for the heightwise opening along the part of which the control rod extends, provided with a bulging trough to confine the treadle rod in engagement with the exposed edge of the partition.

5. A machine of the type described having rigid machine supporting and base members, a connection between said members comprising a hollow vertical column formed from a single rectangular plate of relatively resilient sheet metal bent into an open box-like structure of C-shaped cross section with closed front and side walls, substantial vacant space inside, and with a heightwise opening running along the fourth side of the column, upper and lower end plates fixed to the upper and lower edges of the side walls and secured to the machine supporting and base members, electrically powered apparatus in said machine, a main operating shaft, a clutch for driving said operating shaft and a control treadle mounted in the base member, in combination with a compartment containing electrical connection and control devices at the upper, end of the column, separated from the remainder of the vacant space by a partition secured to the side walls of the column, a control rod running between the clutch and the treadle past one edge of the partition and extending along the heightwise opening of the column, an apron for the heightwise opening along that part of which the control rod extends, provided with a bulging trough to confine the treadle rod in engagement with the exposed edge of the partition, and a treadle raising spring coiled about the control rod and compressed by engagement with the partition.

6. A shoe sewing machine having a sewing head, a main sewing shaft in the head, a clutch for driving said sewing shaft, a clutch operating lever, rigid machine head supporting and base members, a connection between said members comprising a hollow vertical column formed from a single rectangular plate of relatively thin resilient sheet metal bent into an open box-like structure of C- shaped cross section, with closed front and side walls, with substantially vacant space inside and with a vertical opening along the fourth side of the column, upper and lower end plates fixed to the front and side walls of the column and secured to the machine head and base members, electrically powered apparatus in the machine head and a foot treadle mounted in the base member, in combination with a compartment containing electrical connections and control devices for the apparatus at the upper end of the column, separated from the remainder of the vacant space by a partition secured to the walls of the column, a control rod connected to the foot treadle with its upper portion extending along the vertical opening between the edges of the (reshaped plate and across the edge of the partition, and a wedge connected to the upper end of the control rod with a wedging surface engaging the clutch operating lever to transpose vertical motion of the control rod into horizontal motion in the operating lever.

7. A shoe sewing machine having a sewing head, a main sewing shaft in the head, actuating levers driven by the main shaft, a horizontal fulcrum shaft for the actuating levers secured in the sewing head, a clutch for driving said sewing shaft, .a clutch operating lever, rigid machine head supporting and base members, a connection between said members comprising a hollow vertical column formed from a single rectangular plate of relatively thin resilient sheet metal bent into an open box-like structure of O-shaped cross section, with closed front and side Walls, with substantially vacant space inside and with a vertical opening along the fourth side of the column, upper and lower end plates fixed to the front and side walls of the column and secured to the machine head and base members, electrically powered apparatus in the machine head and a foot treadle mounted in the base member, in combination with a compartment containing electrical connections and control devices for the apparatus at the upper end of the column, separated from the remainder of the vacant space by a partition secured to the walls of the column, a control rod connected to the foot treadle with its upper portion extending along the vertical opening between the edges of the C-shaped plate and across the edge of the partition, a wedge connected to the upper end of the control rod with a wedging surface engaging the clutch operating lever to transpose vertical motion of the control rod into horizontal motion in the operating lever, and a pivot for the clutch operating lever mounted on the actuating lever fulcrum shaft.

8. A shoe machine having an operating head, operating devices at the front of the head, a horizontal operating shaft mounted in the head for actuating said devices, face cams on the horizontal shaft, levers actuated by the cams, a horizontal cam lever fulcrum shaft at the rear of the head, a clutch on the operating shaft for driving it, a clutch operating lever, and a vertical pivot for the clutch operating lever, in combination with a bracket secured to the horizontal cam lever fulcrum shaft, in which bracket the vertical pivot is rotatably mounted.

9. A shoe machine having an operating head, operating devices at the front of the head, a horizontal operating shaft mounted in the head for actuating said devices, face cams on the horizontal shaft, levers actuated by the cams, a horizontal cam lever fulcrum shaft at the rear of the head, a clutch on the operating shaft for driving it, a clutch operating lever, and a vertical pivot for the clutch operating lever, in combination with a bracket secured to the horizontal cam lever fulcrum shaft, in which bracket the vertical pivot is rotatably mounted, a vertical clutch control rod, and a wedge connected to the rod and engaged frictionally with the clutch lever to transpose the vertical motion of the control rod into irreversible horizontal motion of the clutch lever.

10. A shoe machine having an operating head, operating devices at the front of the head, a horizontal operating shaft mounted in the head for actuating said devices, face cams on the horizontal shaft, levers actuated by the cams, a horizontal cam lever fulcrum shaft at the rear of the head, a clutch on the operating shaft for driving it, a clutch operating lever, and a vertical pivot for the clutch operating lever, in combination with a bracket secured to the horizontal cam lever fulcrum shaft, in which bracket the vertical pivot is rotatably mounted, a vertical clutch control rod, a wedge connected to the rod and engaged frictionally with the clutch lever to transpose the vertical motion of the control rod into horizontal motion of the clutch lever, and a horizontal support block for the clutch lever projecting beneath that portion of the clutch lever engaged by the wedge to prevent fiexure of the clutch lever as the wedge is depressed.

ll. A shoe machine having an operating head, operating devices at the front of the head, a horizontal operating shaft mounted in the head for actuating said devices, face cams on the horizontal shaft, levers actuated by the cams, a horizontal cam lever fulcrum shaft at the rear of the head, a clutch on the operating shaft for driving it, and a clutch operating lever, a vertical pivot for the clutch operating lever, in combination with a bracket secured to the horizontal cam lever fulcrum shaft, in which bracket the vertical pivot is rotatably mounted, a vertical clutch control rod, a wedge connected to the rod and engaged with the clutch lever to transpose the vertical motion of the control rod into horizontal motion of the clutch lever, and a horizontal support block for the clutch lever projecting beneath that portion of the clutch lever engaged by the wedge to prevent fiexture of the clutch lever as the Wedge is depressed, said block having a guideway for the wedge.

12. A shoe machine having an operating head, operating devices in the head, a horizontal operating shaft rotatably mounted in the head, a driving clutch comprising a driving pulley rotatably mounted on the operating shaft, a clutch operating lever having a yoke at one end engaging a hub of the pulley and having a vertical pivot on which the clutch lever swings in a horizontal direction, and a driving belt surrounding the pulley, in combination with a belt guard surrounding the belt, mounted on the lever to swing with it and to move with the pulley as the clutch is actuated to drive the operating shaft.

13. A machine of the type described having rigid ma chine supporting and base members, a connection between said members comprising a hollow vertical column formed from a single rectangular plate of relatively resilient sheet metal bent into an open box-like structure of C-shaped cross section with closed front and side walls, substantial vacant space inside, and with a heightwise opening running along the fourth side of the column, upper and lower end plates fixed to the upper and lower edges of the side walls and secured to the machine supporting and base members, and electrically powered apparatus in said machine, in combination with an uninterrupted compartment extending throughout the full cross sectional area of the column and containing electrical connection and control devices for the electrically powered apparatus, said devices including a thermostatic switch and said column having an adjusting tool opening alined with the thermostatic switch.

14. A shoe sewing machine having an operating head, operating devices in the head, a horizontal operating shaft mounted in the head for actuating said devices, a clutch comprising a hand wheel secured to the shaft and a driving pulley slidable toward and from the hand wheel on the operating shaft for driving it, a clutch operating lever fulcrumed on the machine and connected to the clutch pulley and a belt surrounding the pulley, in combination with a belt guard in the form of a plate covering the belt as it approaches the pulley, mounted on the clutch operating lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,531,851 Deminski Mar. 31, 1925 1,986,140 Dapp V Jan. 1, 1935 2,033,224 Bonser Mar. 10, 1936 2,209,455 Haas July 30, 1940 2,328,011 Haas Aug. 31, 1943 2,376,648 Anderson May 22, 1945 2,643,626 Morrill June 30, 1953 

